2015, an eventful year for the retail sector. Numerous formulas ran into problems or actually went bankrupt. But, has much changed in their approach? Many retail formulas choose to make major cuts, but at the same time continue in the same way as they have been doing for years. This also applies to V&D. Round of cuts after round of cuts. The board's first response to new financial problems was to close the webshop. Innovation still hardly plays a role. Just before the end of the year, the news we had been anticipating for years finally arrived: the bankruptcy of V&D. The jobs of 10.000 employees are at risk. The stores will remain open for a while, but what the future of the company will look like after this is not yet known. What can we learn from companies like V&D? How can we ensure that our companies have a better view?

The identity crisis

When we look at analyzes of the department store, the same points emerge everywhere. V&D has been struggling for years and is struggling to move forward. Hardly any profit has been made for almost 30 years. So it's a wonder that things have only really gone wrong now. One of the main reasons is the identity crisis that V&D has been struggling with for years. Competitors such as Bijenkorf and Action have a clear positioning at the top or bottom of the market. V&D has been in two minds for years and is therefore somewhat in between. One CEO focuses on private brands, while the other is phasing them out. V&D no longer stands for anything and therefore loses its position in the market. This is a risk that every company faces. Your company too! That is precisely why managers become one clear long-term vision asked. What does your company stand for?

Taking care of your employees

The Netherlands is a country with a strong healthcare culture. We have long been used to employees being protected and all of us together bearing a large part of each other's burdens. Very different from, for example, American culture. However, the owners of V&D, not entirely coincidentally American investors, chose a different path in the face of financial problems. A very hard road by Dutch standards. The financial problems were passed on to the employees, which culture has put further pressure within the company. Your staff, especially in business services and sales, is your most important weapon in the battle. The moment you antagonize your employees or salespeople, your company is doomed to collapse. So always make sure that, no matter how difficult it is, your employees remain protected and motivated.

Stagnation means decline

The lack of identity, dealing with staff, the crisis, the mild winter. It all undoubtedly influenced the demise of V&D. But this company, which has been in trouble for 30 years, has mainly succumbed to one of the most dangerous business phenomena: stagnation! The rise of the internet is still cited by the government as an important reason for the problems. This indirectly acknowledges that they have more or less ignored a phenomenon that has dominated all trends and innovations for years. Incredible. Even another retailer in trouble, Blokker, is trying to seize its opportunities with a separate online marketing department (Nextail). Too late perhaps, but they're trying. Or they start new formulas that match current trends, such as Big Bazar, a competitor for Action. The problem, however, is that V&D has not developed further for years. Market trends are not sufficiently recognized or not addressed. People continue to work in the well-known, familiar street. As soon as you, as an organization, resign yourself to the position you are in, as soon as you are no longer motivated to really innovate, you unconsciously give up your company's right to exist.

In addition to V&D, there are many retail formulas that have suffered or will suffer the same fate. These companies have also simply ignored developments in the internet for too long. Or worse, have started and have now largely phased out their online activities, such as Intratuin. Professor Cor Molenaars indicated this week that at least 14 other chains are or will be in trouble. Which companies do you think will not survive 2016?